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Phil Hay has revealed that Michael Skubala has simplified everything at Leeds United since Jesse Marsch was sacked.

The Lowdown: Skubala is Leeds’ final hope

Things never really seemed to click into gear for Marsch at Elland Road with the American boss managing to win just 11 games during his short but sweet tenure as a Premier League boss.

Therefore, when Skubala was trusted to take the reigns at Leeds he will have known that something ended to change, although that doesn’t always need to be something elaborate and over the top.

Instead, it appears as though Skubala has gone the other direction and made things a lot simpler and more straightforward for his group of players according to Hay.

The Latest: Tactics now simpler for Leeds players

While speaking on The Phil Hay Show the Athletic journalist has admitted Skubala wants his players to understand all of his instructions having made it very simple for them to follow tactics on the training ground.

He said: (29:00) “I’ve been asking quite a lot about what’s Skubala’s doing and what way is he approaching this and everything that’s getting said seems to be simplification.

“I mean Marsch didn’t have the same training week that Bielsa did, Bielsa’s training weeks were hugely intense and never really eased off, never really a gap and never really a break and long analysis sessions and for a long time worked effectively.

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“Marsch’s weeks tended to be a lot more structured that two days before a game it would be fairly low-key, fairly gentle to let the player’s legs recover a bit more, some sessions were purely on set pieces and the analysis wasn’t as in-depth or as longwinded as some of Bielsa’s.

“It sounds like Skubala has simplified all of that again, it’s not the case of doing the bare minimum as in tossing it off, it’s a case of I think trying not to overcomplicate things with the players and trying to make it as basic and simple a plan and a stay as possible so that ideally it works as quickly as possible.”

The Verdict: Season-defining period for Leeds

It will be interesting to see how the Leeds players respond from a more simple approach to tactics and instructions as they may well take it as an insult to their intelligence and ability or may well feel this benefits given the situation they find themselves in.

While fans may well be happy with Skubala in charge given he picked up a point against Manchester United, it’s one thing getting results when there’s no pressure on you as an interim manager compared to when you’re the main man for the foreseeable future.

Skubala will certainly feel the pressure this weekend as he takes his Leeds side to face an Everton outfit that won their last home game against Arsenal, so his tactical nouse will certainly be tested against Sean Dyche.

In recent years, only Declan Rice and Ben Johnson have managed to establish themselves as consistent members of West Ham United’s first-team squad having come through the academy.

A number of promising youngsters have been on the fringes of the squad but far too many have been shipped out without any real opportunities; and given their development elsewhere, the Hammers may soon come to regret their decisions on a number of players.

One such example is Josh Cullen, who has seen his stock rise significantly since departing the London Stadium in 2020, with a return to Premier League football with Burnley looking almost certain this year.

Should West Ham regret selling Josh Cullen?

Cullen was a product of West Ham’s academy but spent much of his youth playing away from the club, enjoying loan spells with Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.

Despite a promising spell with the Addicks in the 2019/20 campaign, which saw him feature 34 times in the Championship, David Moyes clearly felt that Cullen wouldn’t cut it at the London Stadium, and he was duly sold to Anderlecht for a minimal fee.

After impressing under Vincent Kompany in Belgium, making 80 appearances in total, the Irish midfielder linked up with the Manchester City legend again in the summer, completing a move to Championship side Burnley.

He has since been a mainstay for the Clarets as they look set to run away with the title, contributing one goal and three assists in 35 appearances for the Lancashire outfit.

Kompany is certainly a fan of the 26-year-old and it would not be a surprise to see him keep his regular place in the team next season, when Burnley look certain to be playing in the top flight once again.

The Clarets manager said of Cullen: “I can’t be complimentary enough, but I think everyone can see what he does. The team appreciates it; his strength is that he’s the ultimate player that puts the team before himself.”

The Irishman’s impressive displays in Belgium and in the Championship have unsurprisingly seen his value rocket in recent years, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at €7m (£6.2m), which represents a mammoth 483% increase from his €1.2m (£1m) value upon leaving West Ham.

Given that West Ham occupy a relegation place in the Premier League, they could be leapfrogged by their former player this year. All the while, Moyes is stuck with expensive midfielders such as Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta, who cost a combined £70.1m to sign and £215,000 in wages each week, with Declan Rice likely to depart regardless of the division in which the Hammers find themselves next season.

Therefore, this feels like another transfer decision that the under-pressure Moyes will end up regretting, (think of the £10m spent on the rarely-seen Jordan Hugill in 2018), and it perhaps highlights why more youngsters should be given opportunities in West Ham’s first-team, before they end up prospering elsewhere.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly ‘increasingly hopeful’ of agreeing a new contract for Ryan Kent.

The Lowdown: Kent attracting transfer interest

The 26-year-old’s contract at Ibrox expires in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

He has recently been linked with a move to English Championship leaders Burnley, who look set for automatic promotion back to the Premier League, as they sit 12 points clear at the top of the table.

The Latest: Contract agreement close?

As per Football Insider, Rangers are ‘increasingly hopeful’ that Kent will sign a new deal with the Premiership giants.

Their contract offer is currently the ‘best on the table’, and the latest round of talks has been positive, which represents a huge step forward after reports that discussions between the various parties has previously threatened to run aground at several stages.

The Verdict: Big boost for Rangers

Kent signing a new long-term contract would be a major boost for Rangers.

Hailed as an ‘incredible’ athlete by The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell, the winger can dribble with the ball at an immense speed, as he ranks in the 92nd percentile of all his positional peers outside of Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per game over the past year.

Furthermore, Kent has shown that he has a consistent end product as well, with no fewer than 88 goal contributions in total since he first came to Ibrox the 2018/19 season.

He is often trusted in big games, having been named in the starting line-up to play Celtic in today’s Viaplay Cup final, and at 26 years of age, he still has plenty to offer the Light Blues.

Tottenham Hotspur academy talent Brandon Bryan-Waugh has ‘has already joined up’ with League Two side Colchester United.

The Lowdown: Spurs academy prospers…

The Spurs academy at Enfield has nurtured some terrific and exciting prospects in recent seasons, perhaps most notably the likes of Dane Scarlett and Oliver Skipp.

Skipp in particular, after finding game time difficult to come by under Antonio Conte, has now grasped the opportunity for more Premier League minutes with both hands.

Injuries to Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma have propelled the 22-year-old into Tottenham’s starting eleven with Skipp seriously impressing.

The Latest: Bryan-Waugh departs Spurs…

However, with the many success stories like Skipp, other talents fall by the wayside.

Spurs pundit and club expert John Wenham, who occasionally breaks news via his Lilywhites Rose account on Twitter, has claimed that young defender Bryan-Waugh has ‘already’ joined up with Colchester.

This comes after Spurs failed to offer him a professional deal with the teenager now seemingly departing.

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Wenham explained:

“Exclusive – Understand Academy year 2 defender, Brandon Bryan-Waugh (18) will not be offered a professional deal at #thfc and has already joined up with league two Colchester United.”

The Verdict: Disappointing…

It’s always disappointing when a prospect is essentially given the cold shoulder and forced to take action by departing.

The 18-year-old is described by Tottenham’s official website as a versatile centre-back who can also play as a full-back – not to mention a previous England Under-15 and Under-16 international.

Bryan-Waugh was also a fixture for Spurs’ Under-18s over the 2021/2022 season, making 15 academy league appearances and even notching an assist for good measure (Transfermarkt).

Alas, his time at Tottenham now appears to have to come an end, and it will be interesting to see if he can find a different route to stardom through Colchester.

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona forward Raphinha this summer, despite the Brazilian having only made the move to Catalonia back in July.

What’s the latest on Raphinha to Newcastle?

According to Spanish outlet Sport, the Magpies could be set to target the 26-year-old ahead of next season, with the former Leeds United man seemingly one of the club’s ‘main objectives’ for the summer window.

This follows claims made prior to the winger’s move to Camp Nou that the St James’ Park outfit were in “talks” regarding a deal to prise him from Elland Road, albeit with Xavi Hernandez’s side ultimately swooping in to strike an agreement for a fee of around £55m.

Could Raphinha replace Almiron at Newcastle?

Should Raphinha be snapped up by the Tynesiders this time around, the one-time Rennes man will likely be looking to nail down a regular role on the right flank in Eddie Howe’s side, with that starting berth currently taken up by the resurgent, Miguel Almiron.

The Paraguayan playmaker has enjoyed a real standout season thus far with ten Premier League goals to his name, with the 29-year-old having been rewarded for that “amazing transformation” – in the words of club legend Alan Shearer – with a new, long-term contract.

Despite the wide man’s recent impressive statistics, it may well be that it is the former Atlanta United star who drops from the side if Raphinha is signed this summer, with the latter man potentially proving something of an upgrade for Howe and co.

The Porto Alegre native may only have four La Liga goals to his name this season, although his overall record so far this term stands at seven goals and nine assists in 34 games across all fronts, while Almiron has contributed ten goals but only three assists in 30 games in all competitions.

Equally, it is in fact the former Sporting Lisbon sensation who boasts by far the better record in the Premier League following his eye-catching stint in Yorkshire, as the 5 foot 9 dynamo provided 29 goals and assists in just 65 top-flight games, while the current Newcastle man has just 23 goals and assists despite featuring 133 times for the northeast side in the league.

It would also appear that it is Raphinha who offers more in a defensive sense in his wide berth, with the £62m-rated man ranking in the top 7% among those in his position in Europe for blocks made and the top 11% for interceptions, while Almiron ranks in just the top 49% and the top 52% for those same two metrics, respectively.

As ruthless as it may be to cast aside a player who has been such a key figure for Howe this season, it is the Barcelona “baller” – as lauded by former Whites teammate Tyler Roberts – who should be given the nod in that attacking role, provided a deal can be completed.

West Ham all but sealed their spot in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals as they eased to a 2-0 win against AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.

Two goals from the much-lamented Michail Antonio eased the pressure on David Moyes following last weekend’s embarrassing defeat against Brighton, although his side were always expected to win against the Cypriot minnows.

While Antonio impressed on his return to the side, contributing two impressive finishes on Thursday evening, it was arguably Said Benrahma who was Moyes’ star performer against Larnaca.

How did Benrahma perform versus Larnaca?

As per Sofascore, the Algeria international would earn an impressive 8.2/10 rating for his performance, which was the best of any player to feature in the game from both sides.

The former Brentford man was instrumental in the Hammers’ opener, as he sent Larnaca’s right back to the shops before whipping in a delightful cross, which Antonio simply had to steer home.

This was just one of two big chances that the 27-year-old would create on Thursday, with Antonio missing a chance for his hat-trick when he hit the post in the second half.

Benrahma looked extremely assured in possession and dangerous every time he received the ball, completing 24 of his 27 attempted passes with an 89% success rate, which is an improvement on his 84.6% average in the Premier League so far this season.

The wide man, who touched the ball on 42 occasions, played two key passes, registered three shots and completed four dribbles in total, which again is a significant improvement on the 1.4 key passes, 1.9 shots and 1.5 dribbles he has averaged in the top flight.

It was something of a surprise when Moyes decided to take him off just after the hour mark, as he also contributed in defence, winning six of his seven duels on the night and completing two tackles, which again is impressive given he has managed just 0.7 tackles per game in the Premier League.

This wasn’t the first time that the Algerian winger has impressed in Europe, as he also earned a huge amount of praise from Joe Cole last season after a strong performance against Genk.

Cole said on BT Sport (via Read West Ham): Tonight at times he was unplayable. Fantastic, that’s how good he is, as soon as he saw the defender and squared him up, he knew he was in control of the situation. The finish was exquisite.”

West Ham fans will be hoping that the decision to sub Benrahma was simply to rest him ahead of Sunday’s big fixture against Aston Villa, where a defeat will surely spell the end for Moyes at the London Stadium.

Leeds United's illustrious history stretches back afar, and despite their 16-year hiatus from the Premier League, they have still boasted some incredible talent the likes of which many other clubs would have loved to have.

There is a reason why they were such a feared outfit in the late 90s and early 2000s, with George Graham and later David O'Leary crafting a squad laden with quality which would propel them to the Champions League semi-finals.

However, this burst of success actually marked the beginning of the end for the Whites, who quickly found themselves in deep financial trouble which brought the period crashing down.

Despite this, and the subsequent exit of most of their top assets, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had left years earlier due to a dispute with the aforementioned O'Leary as he sought to make some quick cash.

He was quick to offload their prized player, who had starred ever since signing for the former boss in 1997. Leaving acrimoniously could have seen him fade into obscurity in the Leeds history books, but he remains an ever-present figure in best teams of the past few decades due to his undeniable talent. Were he at Elland Road now in his prime, relegation certainly would not be a threat.

How long was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Leeds?

Although the Dutchman only spent two short years in Yorkshire, his impact was swift and spectacular.

A struggling first-half season quickly turned into a blistering second half, and he would score 16 times before turning that into 18 Premier League goals the campaign following.

With an electric burst of pace to partner with his powerful physique, his two-footedness made him a constant danger in front of goal for the opposition. The way in which he would score goals with such ease marks him out as a far cry from the struggling Georginio Rutter, who was brought in to uphold their survival bid.

The Frenchman is only 20 but boasts huge potential, despite only showing glimpses of the player he might become if he can find consistency.

Before moving he had just two goals to his name in this campaign for Hoffenheim, yet a club-record fee was unloaded to tempt him to leave.

Whilst he might one day be a success, Leeds needed tangible quality immediately to steer them to safety. The kind of quality that Hasselbaink had in spades, as he adapted to England with ease.

Despite their disagreements, O'Leary did praise the character of the forward by lauding him and Mark Viduka as "wonderful lads" as they returned to face their old club.

With a misfiring strike force that could see them fall further, Javi Gracia would surely be dreaming of a player like the legendary marksman who lit up the Premier League to come and have a similar impact on his side.

Newcastle United have reportedly had an approach blocked by Brighton and Hove Albion to sign winger Solly March in the summer.

The Lowdown: March signs new contract

Brighton confirmed on their official website on Friday that March has signed a new contract that will keep him at the AMEX Stadium until June 2026, with an additional option of a further year.

This comes off the back of a very impressive season with the Seagulls so far, where he has managed to score a total of eight goals and make a further five assists in 30 games over all competitions, with 11 of those goal contributions coming in the Premier League alone.

March has been a key part of guiding Roberto De Zerbi’s side up to seventh place in the top-flight table, where they are just seven points off of the UEFA Champions League places, with as many as three games in hand on fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

The Latest: Newcastle approach blocked

As per Football Insider, Brighton have blocked an out-of-window move from Newcastle to try and sign March ahead of the summer.

The St. James’ Park outfit have been ‘keeping tabs’ on the Englishman, as they look to improve their attacking output, but will now find it ‘incredibly hard’ to sign him after he put pen to paper on a new deal at the Seagulls.

Brighton made the new contract for March a ‘top priority’ after learning of Newcastle’s interest in him, and the North East club still remain ‘big admirers’ of his, despite it now looking ‘increasingly unlikely’ that they will be able to sign him.

The Verdict: Would be an exciting addition

Given March’s Premier League experience on top of his fine form this season, he would be a great addition to the Tynesiders’ ranks for next term.

Aside from his goals and assists, the 28-year-old ranks highly in terms of most dribbles completed in the top flight this campaign, and thus would add another dimension to the Magpies attack.

March’s performances have also caught the eye of England manager Gareth Southgate, but not quite to the extent of calling him up to the Three Lions squad for their upcoming fixtures for Euro 2024 qualification.

Nonetheless, even though it would be a much tougher deal to get over the line in the summer, the Toon should still try and do all that they can to bring March in through the doors.

Tottenham Hotspur now want Burnley boss Vincent Kompany as a potential replacement for Antonio Conte, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs manager search…

Spurs have drawn up a shortlist of managerial candidates to take Conte’s role with many names currently being considered by chairman Daniel Levy.

Fabio Paratici is apparently leading the Spurs succession plan with some big names like Mauricio Pochettino, their former boss and fan favourite, standing out as perhaps the best candidates.

Other than the Argentine, Roberto De Zerbi, Luis Enrique, Thomas Tuchel, Marco Silva and Thomas Frank are also in the frame.

Abroad, Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner has also been linked with the Spurs job, coming after Conte’s astonishing post-Southampton rant last weekend.

“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart (in),” said the furious Italian.

“Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.

“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stays here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench.”

The Latest: Spurs target Kompany…

According to journalist David Hytner, writing for The Guardian, a new name has now come to light as Spurs target Kompany.

The Clarets head coach is apparently ‘of interest’ to Tottenham now following his brilliant full debut campaign in charge at Turf Moor.

Kompany has taken Burnley to the Championship summit and his high-flyers could even become one of the few second tier winners to surpass 100 points.

The Verdict: Left-field option…

Bar his spell at Anderlecht after leaving Man City in 2019, Kompany has little experience outside of Burnley and he could be seen as a risky move.

The Belgian does have his credentials as a natural born leader and he cemented himself into City folklore following a fantastic decade at Eastlands.

The ex-Blues captain has also been praised for his ‘miraculous’ job at Burnley this season by Tony Cascarino, who went on to say Kompany would be an ‘excellent appointment’.

However, despite Cascarino’s praise, we’re in slight disagreement,

The 36-year-old could be seen as one of football’s most promising up-and-coming managers but his huge potential right now is perhaps not enough to make him a top Spurs candidate.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed a number of managers that Real Madrid could turn to should Carlo Ancelotti decide to part ways this summer.

What's going on with Ancelotti at Real Madrid?

The European champions have suffered a dip this season, as a loss in El Clasico has meant that Barcelona are all but set to win La Liga, and whilst they may fancy their chances in the Champions League once again, changes may be made at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.

Ancelotti has been linked with the Brazil job, and if the Italian chooses to move on or the club decide to end his second tenure in the Spanish capital, they will need to appoint a successor who can step into one of the biggest jobs in world football.

Former Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel was one option that they were reportedly considering, but he has just recently joined Bayern Munich.

Speaking on his YouTube channel (1.20), Romano named two other candidates on Real Madrid's list as they plan ahead for the future.

He said: "Real Madrid right now are still protecting and backing Carlo Ancelotti.

"They still dream of the Champions League, and so they want Ancelotti to work in the best way, not feeling any pressure. But we also know that at Real Madrid, to win titles is crucial.

"Real Madrid have some potential ideas – I say potential because nothing is advanced because they're working to protect Ancelotti, but Tuchel was one of them.

"The others are, for sure, Raul, and for sure, Mauricio Pochettino – all coaches appreciated internally at Real Madrid. Of course, Raul is already in the Castilla team.

"Let's see if there will be other options, but at the moment, it's just some ideas – not something decided – because Carlo Ancelotti remains 100% in control of the situation, especially for the Champions League."

Is it time for Real Madrid to move on from Ancelotti?

Although the 63-year-old has achieved incredible success with the club, the case can be made that a summer departure would be the perfect time to move on.

He was even criticised during their victorious Champions League campaign last season, as Real came from behind on a number of occasions to win despite being outplayed at times.

Being 12 points behind Barcelona at this stage of the season has shown that there are weaknesses in this Madrid side, and a refresh in tactics and the squad could set Los Blancos up for a title challenge.

Pochettino has been out of work since being fired from his role at Paris Saint-Germain, whilst Raul has Real Madrid's Castilla side pushing for promotion to the second tier.

By choosing Raul, Real could follow a similar route to the one they took when they appointed Zinedine Zidane, who achieved unprecedented success after being promoted from Castilla, leaving Ancelotti to join the Brazil side and Real to begin a new era with another club legend at the helm.